Into The Impossible

Do we need new laws of physics to explain the origins of life?  I had an amazing discussion about this with the one and only Lee Cronin on Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal. We talked about life, consciousness, physics, chemistry, assembly theory, the Drake equation, and more!  Lee Cronin is a chemist and the Regius Chair of Chemistry in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. His research focuses on synthetic life forms, the self-assembly of molecules, and the origin of life. He’s also a leading expert in the field of digital chemistry, pushing the boundaries of chemistry using advanced robotics and AI.  Curt Jaimungal is the host of the popular podcast and YouTube channel "Theories of Everything," known for exploring theoretical physics, consciousness, Ai, and God in a technically rigorous manner.  Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro  00:00:43 My opening statements  00:04:07 Lee’s opening statements 00:09:26 Why defining "life" is difficult 00:19:50 Disagreements on the

What is the current state of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)? Why do scientists often raise their eyebrows at UFO sightings? And what might the future of SETI look like with ongoing technological advancements? I had the privilege of diving into these fascinating topics with the professional alien hunter Seth Shostak!  Seth Shostak is an astronomer and author who directs the search for extraterrestrials at the SETI Institute in California—trying to find evidence of intelligent life in space. He is also committed to getting the public, especially young people, excited about astrobiology and science in general. Seth hosts “Big Picture Science,” the SETI Institute’s weekly radio show. The one-hour program uses interviews with leading researchers and lively and intelligent storytelling to tackle big questions like: What came before the Big Bang? How does memory work? Will our descendants be human or machine? What’s the origin of humor? Big Picture Science can be found on iTunes and other podcas

Will physics ever be able to explain consciousness? What if our entire understanding of reality is just an illusion shaped by evolution? Could the universe be a sophisticated virtual reality created by our own minds for our own good? And does free will exist after all?  Joining me today to explore these profound questions is none other than Donald Hoffman! Donald Hoffman is a renowned philosopher, famous TED talk speaker, cognitive scientist, and deep thinker.  He is a professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the provocative book The Case Against Reality. This is his third time on my show because we simply never run out of topics, and it’s always refreshing to hear his thoughts and ideas!  So, without further ado, let’s jump right in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro  00:01:11 Sam Harris, Robert Sapolsky, and free will  00:07:59 Positive geometries of consciousness  00:17:17 Will physics ever be able to explain consciousness? 00:26:05

What does it mean to live a fulfilling life? Why should we commit to one person? Why are we as a society so obsessed with wealth? And why do I consider being a parent the most important role in my life? I had the pleasure of chatting about these profound topics with Candy Ken on his show. Enjoy!  Candy Ken is an Austrian rapper, model, and social media personality known for his flamboyant, colorful style and hyper-masculine persona that challenges traditional gender norms. He gained popularity on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where he combines elements of kawaii culture, macho aesthetics, and pop culture references. He’s the host of The Candy Ken Show. — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:13 Committing to one person  02:34 Chasing external achievements 04:00 The most important role in life 12:18 Cultural obsession with wealth  24:47 The importance of male role models 33:21 Are you a slave to work?  43:29 Losing the Nobel Prize 48:39 Into the Impossible  51:25 The politicization of the Nobel Pri

What’s it like to almost win and then lose the Nobel Prize?  In 2014, using the BICEP2 telescope, we believed we had caught a glimpse of the spark that ignited the universe. Millions watched our announcement live from Harvard, sparking rumors of a Nobel Prize. But were we truly seeing the cosmic prologue, or were we deceived by a galactic mirage? I had the pleasure of discussing BICEP2's discovery, the intense scientific drama that followed, and what I learned from the whole experience with Jordan Harbinger on his show. Enjoy!  — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:47 The discovery that almost won me the Nobel Prize 03:30 Why I didn’t end up getting the Nobel Prize 10:41 Everything wrong with the Nobel Prize  16:36 Ethical wills 24:02 Deprogramming yourself 37:20 Reframing losses  46:37 Outro — Additional resources:  ➡️ Check out The Jordan Harbinger Show:

If we can censor one person, we can censor everyone.  Our freedom is strongly linked to other people's freedom ... Even those with whom we disagree.  This idea has been explored in great detail by Dr Michael Shermer in his book Giving the Devil His Due. I had the pleasure of reading the book and discussing it with Michael in the early days of the pandemic. So here is a little throwback episode for you! Enjoy.  — Key Takeaways:  00:00:00 Intro 00:05:01 Abducted by aliens  00:11:51 Judging a book by its cover 00:22:36 Free speech and campus culture 00:32:20 How should we govern Mars? 00:42:31 Science, religion, and mortality  00:55:19 Scientists as public figures  01:03:16 Challenges of teaching at a university level  01:12:44 Meaning and purpose in the universe 01:30:58 Skepticism as a movement  01:40:48 Final thoughts — Additional resources:  ➡️ Check out Michael Shermer: 

Why are men's sex drives so strong? Can genetic information be destroyed? And why does the desert lizard have such intricate patterns?  I had the extraordinary privilege of exploring these topics with Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most influential and thought-provoking scientists! Dawkins is a renowned evolutionary biologist, zoologist, and author. He is also a prominent figure in New Atheism alongside Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens and is well known for his criticisms of creationism and intelligent design.  In our wide-ranging conversation, we explored the evolution of sex drive and aesthetic appreciation, genetics, the intersection of theoretical and experimental science, the potential of artificial intelligence, and more.  Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:56 Why is the sex drive in men so strong? 04:44 DNA, origin of life and panspermia  10:28 Is there life elsewhere in the universe? 14:58 Memes and their evolution  21:13 Homage to Daniel Dennett  23:20 Na

What does it take to achieve great breakthroughs in science? What makes Galileo’s approach to science still relevant today? And why is it essential for scientists to communicate their work to the general public? Last month, I was invited to Rick Walker's podcast to give his listeners insight into the mind of a scientist. We also discussed the cosmic microwave background, unifying the laws of gravity and quantum mechanics, and more.  Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:18 Science, curiosity, and creativity  08:46 Entertainment scientists  12:59 The relationship between mathematics and science 20:22 Einstein’s unfinished dream  24:17 Heisenberg uncertainty principle  29:09 Galileo’s approach to science 34:51 My content creation process 39:49 The cosmic microwave background  48:16 Quickfire 52:25 Outro — Additional resources:  ➡️ Check out Rick Walker’s Podcast:

Getting it right is the hallmark of any great scientist. And when we don’t, we should be able to say we were wrong. In part 2 of debunking all the claims Terrence Howard made on the Joe Rogan Experience, I start by first apologizing for misrepresenting the number of patents Howard has. Even though he doesn’t have the 97 patents he claimed to have, he does hold quite a few, contrary to my earlier assertions.  But this episode is not all sunshine and rainbows. I actually go through 17 different newfound complaints about that conversation. This video will go through each one of those points, and we'll even take a deep dive into one of Eric Weinstein's favorite hobby horses, peer review. Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 00:46 Apology for errors about Howard's patents 01:48 Overview of Howard's actual patent portfolio 06:48 Importance of precise scientific communication 14:37 Is there north and south in space? 15:28 Penrose stairs, scientific collaboration, quantum entanglement 19:36 The role of patents i

Have you ever wondered what’s happening inside the US government’s UFO program? How far has our hunt for aliens come? Are they hiding evidence of alien life or alien technology? And how should we deal with all the misinformation surrounding these subjects? Here today to speak out on the intricacies of our national (and amateur) hunt for aliens is none other than Sean Kirkpatrick, Pentagon’s former UFO chief. Primarily a laser and materials physicist, Kirkpatrick became the first director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) at the United States Department of Defense. The AARO is responsible for investigating unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), commonly referred to as UFOs. Later, he quit his position as director of the AARO due to constant threats and harassment.  Tune in! Key Takeaways:  00:00 Intro 01:43 Are we in a conspiracy?  06:48 The impact of Venus on UFO sightings  10:42 Does the public have a right to classified data?  18:22 Government projects mistaken for alien tech 21:30 Bi

Are we any closer to understanding the fundamental nature of reality? Experimental evidence for any current Theory of Everything is, at best, inconclusive. This is perhaps the greatest fundamental challenge facing physics. That lack of progress has opened up a sea of controversy. In this thought-provoking episode, I joined forces with Matt O’Dowd to debate some of the brightest minds in theoretical physics on the complexities surrounding the quest for a Theory of Everything. We were joined by Eric Weinstein, Sabine Hossenfelder, and Lee Smolin, We discussed the historical context and current challenges of unifying quantum mechanics with gravity, and the need for fresh perspectives and a broader range of approaches. Tune in! — Key Takeaways:  00:00 Introduction to the quest for a theory of everything 03:35 Lee Smolin explains different meanings of "theory of everything" 07:22 Sabina Hossenfelder discusses approaches to quantum gravity 18:38 Eric Weinstein critiques the current state of theoretical physic

Did you know that most STEM graduates don't end up working in STEM fields? This surprising fact isn’t due to a lack of demand—tech companies dominate our landscape, from AI to smartphones, yet up to 70% of STEM graduates choose different paths. Why is that? Are we failing our STEM graduates? I sat down with John Skrentny, a renowned sociologist and professor at UCSD. John recently explored this issue in his thought-provoking book Wasted Education. We unpack why many STEM graduates feel undervalued and unfulfilled in their jobs, leading them to leave the field entirely. John shares his thoughts on the cultural and systemic problems within the tech industry that contribute to this attrition. From poor employer treatment to the toxic work culture, we discuss what needs to change to retain our brightest minds in STEM. How can we better support them? Tune in to this thought-provoking episode to find out. —  Key Takeaways:   00:00 Intro 01:07 Realities of STEM education and employment 12:18 The leaky pipeline in S

In this episode, I interview renowned theoretical physicist Sean Carroll to discuss his book Something Deeply Hidden. Sean breaks down complex ideas in quantum mechanics and cosmology in his popular science books. His research involves theoretical physics and astrophysics, especially cosmology, field theory, and gravitation. Sean takes us on a journey through the Many Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, a theory that suggests every possible outcome of a quantum event actually occurs in its own separate universe. He explains how this theory changes our understanding of reality by connecting to other areas like gravity and cosmology. We discuss experiments that could test this mind-bending theory and why abandoning classical assumptions is key for scientific advancement. Listen to this episode now and expand your understanding of the universe. Tune in!  Key Takeaways:  00:00 Introduction and background 01:30 New ideas and theories in Carroll's latest book 02:51 Structure of the book and its focus 0

Science might seem opposed to chance discoveries due to its focus on meticulous methods. But surprisingly, serendipity, the art of fortunate accidents and happy discoveries, plays a big role, especially in astronomy. Some of the greatest cosmic discoveries were accidental. Unexpected findings have greatly shaped our understanding of the universe. In this episode, I had the pleasure of getting into the fascinating world of serendipitous astronomy with Chris Lintott, astrophysicist, professor, and host of BBC's "The Sky at Night." We discuss the delicate balance between speculation and scientific rigor, famous cases like the cosmic microwave background, and recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. Chris opens up about the role of citizen science in modern astronomy and how it's changing the way we approach cosmic mysteries. This episode might just change how you think about scientific discovery. Tune in!  Key Takeaways:   00:00 Intro 01:09 Many cosmic discoveries came about by accident 02:16 I

Is Terrence Howard onto something, or is he completely off the rails with his wild theories? In this episode, I was privileged to appear on Piers Morgan Uncensored, alongside Eric Weinstein and Tom Bilyeu to dissect the viral phenomenon of Terrence Howard's unconventional theories on Joe Rogan's podcast and their impact on public perception of science. The conversation touches on the impact of social media in amplifying non-expert voices and the need for scientists to better communicate with the public. We also highlight the tension between established scientific methods and popular skepticism, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tune in now and join the conversation!  Key Takeaways:   00:00 Intro 00:24 Trust in science challenged post-COVID pandemic 00:54 Terrence Howard's unconventional scientific theories go viral 04:07 Eric Weinstein analyzes Howard's claims, finding some merit 08:07 Debate on peer review's role in scientific validation 11:35 Eric Weinstein's interaction with Terrence Howa

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Join my mailing list https://briankeating.com/list to win a real 4 billion year old meteorite! All .edu emails in the USA

Join my mailing list https://briankeating.com/list to win a real 4 billion year old meteorite! All .edu emails in the USA